


Moving On or Moving Forward?

by robronsugsy



Category: Emmerdale, robron
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-03
Updated: 2015-04-03
Packaged: 2018-03-21 01:51:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,724
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3673062
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/robronsugsy/pseuds/robronsugsy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>They were finally together, but just a few months later and Aaron ended their relationship due to Robert's thirst for a career. Three months on, Aaron just can't move on... has Robert?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Moving On or Moving Forward?

**Author's Note:**

> Rewritten and re-edited. The fic has been extended and the plot altered slightly, 7 months after originally being posted. So if you're reading this, you're reading it in it's (hopefully) improved state!

Aaron had been doing the same thing day in day out for the past 3 months. Wake up, work, pub, bed. He'd got himself in a routine for so long so he didn't have to think about it. Think about the problems. He didn't spend time anywhere other than at the pub, the scrap yard, occasionally the garage if they desperately needed a hand or the café. He'd not gone out anywhere, he wasn't in the mood. But he didn't let people know that. As far as everyone else was aware, Aaron was fine. He was the one who called time on his relationship with Robert, so he couldn't very well be the one to sulk around the village.

 

_You're a materialistic arrogant prick and I want nothing more to do with you!_

 

Those were the last words he'd said to him. Robert, that is. He was drunk and angry sure, but Aaron meant every word. He'd been stepping on eggshells around Robert for too long, taking his crap, his resentful remarks and guilt trips for months since they got together. Robert felt the need to remind him every time the topic of work came up. Aaron had finally snapped and told Robert he didn't appreciate that he was never around anymore after he got his new job, and Robert just threw everything in his face, telling him how he gave everything up to be with Aaron, his life, his things, his status, the lot. Sure, Aaron understood, Robert was a businessman now, he had a taste of a certain lifestyle and he wanted to keep his lifestyle on a similar level, but to be away constantly, that wasn't the kind of relationship Aaron ever wanted. He didn't need anything else, he just needed his man. And that's what he thought Robert felt too... so when Aaron asked him "Am I not enough for you?" and Robert hesitated, he knew it was over. He'd had too many years of unhappiness to be stuck in a relationship where he felt like he'd ruined the other persons life like that. Plus, if Aaron let him go, Robert could somehow redeem that life he craved so much back, being the big boss man who people respected. Aaron could be cruel to be kind. Letting go of the one thing he wanted in life so that Robert could have the things he wanted. That's how Aaron warranted the break up, it was the best for Robert.

 

 

**

 

 

"Come on, big night at the pub, we're gonna get totalled tonight!"

Aaron rolled his eyes as Adam giddily danced around on the spot.

"I just want a quiet one, that's all."

"A QUIET ONE?! You've had three months of 'quiet ones'. I'm not having it any more. You don't fool me Mr. Livesy, I know you've been sulking."

Aaron scoffed. "Why because I've actually been getting work done around here? Have you checked the books recently?!"

Adam stuck his tongue out at Aaron. "No excuses, you're coming tonight. You're mum's off too so she won't be bugging you, just me, you, Victoria, Finn, Ross and Carly getting hammered."

Aaron smiled to himself faintly. He couldn't keep doing this. Maybe a good night with a barrel of beer inside him would do him the world of good.

"Fine. But you're buying the first 3 rounds!"

"Yes mate!" Adam clapped, before returning to work.

 

 

**

 

 

The day had gone quite quick and despite some last minute reservations Adam refused to allow Aaron out of his sight and soon dragged him by his shoulders into the pub and placed him firmly on a bar stool.

"Who's the stranger here? Looks kinda shady!" Ross joked as he kissed Carly. Aaron didn't even know they were a couple, but I suppose that happens when you've not paid attention to anyone else in three months.

"You want a beer mate?" Adam shouted, as he walked over to Victoria.

Aaron smiled over to her but he got nothing back. He had guessed by the fact that Victoria hadn't spoken to him since he moved out of the home that he, Adam, Victoria and Robert shared after Aaron and Robert got together, that she wasn't happy with him. But he didn't really care, he had to do it. No one could see it but him but it was the right thing to do, or so he had told himself. So instead he grabbed the beer Diane had coldly served to him and gulped it down without a pause.

"Wehey the night is starting good!" Adam shouted once more, obviously in a good mood.

 

The night had pretty much stayed the same. Aaron was a good few beers down and was already slurring his words, Ross and Carly seemed like they were surgically attached to one another, Finn and Victoria were whispering together while Adam tried his best to split his time between talking to Aaron and smooching Victoria.

"I'm just gonna go get changed, bit warm in here"

Aaron just wanted to get out of his work clothes and feel relaxed. The beer had helped but he could tell that he wasn't wanted here other than by Adam, so he made his excuse and headed upstairs to change his clothes.

He'd remained upstairs for a good while until he could begin hearing Adam screeching in the bar about where Aaron was. He'd just been sitting, thinking to himself. Was this really what he wanted? To be alone, again? Aaron had begun to go over everything he said or did with Robert in the days leading up to their split. The snide comments both had made, the unforgivable things they said to each other in the heated argument that ended them. Was he really so weak that he couldn't deal with Robert not being with him all the time? Was he that desperate, that needy, that selfish?

An overwhelming sense of emotion overcame him and he burst into tears. No, this isn't what he wanted. He wanted Robert. He just wanted him back. They'd not seen one another since he moved out. He'd found out from Adam that Robert had spent most of his time in London for work, and he'd only come back for a day or two at a time which he spent working anyway so Adam found his return pointless. Diane had mentioned him once or twice but she just shut up when Aaron entered the room, not wanting to talk about Robert in front of him, most likely at the request of Chas. But even though they'd not seen one another Aaron had thought about him often. More than often in fact, pretty much every hour of every day he was awake. And even when he was asleep, he dreamed of Robert.

 

What had he done? The last three months he convinced he made the right decision for Robert... but was it? Maybe Robert felt the same? He had to find out.

He wiped away his tears and took a deep breath, before going into his phone, and touching Robert's name, hesitating, before touching it again and putting the phone firmly to his ear.

A few rings, then to voice-mail.

So he tried again

"Come on Robert" he whispered.

Again.. a few rings, then to voice-mail.

Robert was rejecting his calls. And it killed Aaron.

But he couldn't take the shouting from Adam any more, he had to go back down. He splashed cold water on his face, wiped away his tears again and did his best to look like he hadn't been crying. He braced himself before entering the bar once more, putting on a huge smile and walking through when-

 

Shit.

This couldn't be happening.

Aaron walked into the bar only to find Robert sat in the booth to the left of him, back towards him, facing another man. There hands were touching. Robert's head wasn't faced towards Aaron but he could tell he was smiling.

Oh god.

Robert had moved on.

 

Aaron stood in total shock, long enough for Diane to realize what he'd seen, along with Adam and Victoria.

Despite being cold towards him since the breakup, Diane walked up to him, placed her hand on his back and whispered "Go into the back before he sees you". Aaron thought she was basically telling him to get lost at first but he soon realized tears had been falling down his face again and he probably looked a state, so he quickly turned and darted into the back.

Adam and Victoria both saw the whole thing and quickly rose to their feet, and dashed into the back room too, catching Robert's attention, but only for a second before he returned to looking at the man before him.

 

Aaron rushed into the back and held his hands, firmly in fists, against his forehead, gritting his teeth and pushing the fists firmly into his head trying to stop himself from crying. Adam and Victoria walked in to find Aaron collapsing to the sofa and begin to sob uncontrollably.

"Come on mate, I thought you were done with him" Adam said calmly, sat beside his mate and rubbing his back.

"I-I-I tried to-to ring him aa-and.."

Aaron continued to cry, long enough for Victoria to begin welling up herself, launching herself on the chair besides Aaron and pulling him towards her chest to allow him to cry.

"I knew you never meant it. I knew when you ended it you weren't just being unreasonable."

"I-I-just didn't want him to-to re-resent me"

"What?!" Adam replied, confused as to what Aaron was trying to say.

Aaron released himself from Victoria and wiped away his tears, clearing his throat so he could at least attempt to speak.

"He was saying about how he gave everything up for me, I didn't want him to start hating me because of it... I just didn't want to be without him, he was away so much, I just couldn't take it. I wasn't enough for him, and I had to push him away because of it."

Victoria and Adam looked at each other in realization.

"Why didn't you tell us this before?!"

"I did the right thing. For him. He didn't need me holding him back."

"Aaron..."

"No it's fine, he's moved on, I knew it had to happen eventually b-but..."

Aaron sprung to his feet and walked towards the stairs

"I'm sorry, I'll see you later."

Aaron rushed upstairs and closed his door firmly, falling to the floor and continuing to cry. He couldn't believe it. He'd lost Robert. For good.

 

 

**

 

 

He didn't know how long it'd been. He'd been sat in the same spot, head between his legs for what seemed like hours. Motionless, still.

*Knock Knock*

Aaron's head was raised by the faint knocking on his door.

"Go away Adam, I said I'll see you later"

There was silence for a few seconds.

"I-it's not Adam."

Aaron's eyes opened wide. He knew that voice. He loved that voice. He remained still for a few moments.

"You gonna let me in or are you gonna continue to shut me out?"

Aaron wiped his face for the umpteenth time tonight, before slowly unlocking the door and opening it just a few centimetres.

"Come on Aaron, open the door."

Aaron pulled the door wide open with his face hanging down, trying to hide any signs of emotion.

"What?"

Robert just sighed before placing his hand on Aaron's chin and raising his head, Aaron trying to look away but Robert wouldn't allow him.

He stared at Aaron for a few seconds, before raising his other hand and wiping the tears from Aaron's eyes with his fingers.

"I think we should talk."

Aaron nodded his head, before sitting on his bed with his knees against his chest, while Robert placed himself on the edge.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing"

"Come on Aaron don't give me that, your face tells a different story."

"I don't wanna-"

"Stop right there, we are talking about it. Right now."

Aaron just looked away.

"I expected you to be a lot happier than this if I'm honest." Robert joked, trying to break the tension.

Aaron darted his eyes back to Robert. "What?!"

"I expected you to be happy and relaxed, you've been free and single for three months!"

"Not all of us can move on so quickly" Aaron snapped.

Robert just looked at him. "Aaron you're the one who ended things."

"I know."

"I didn't think you cared about me-"

Aaron scoffs. "Are you serious?!"

"Well do you?!"

"It doesn't matter now does it."

"Of course it matters!"

"Why? You've got a new fella now, I already ruined one of your relationships, I'm not gonna try and ruin another."

"New fella?! You mean Max?!"

"Stupid name."

"Max isn't my new 'fella'. I haven't got a new fella and I've not had one. I don't want one either."

"Back to women now is it?"

"Not one of them either."

"Not becoming celibate are you?, cause I find that impossible to believe with your sex drive"

"Will you shut up for two seconds and let me explain?!"

 

Aaron stopped talking and placed his mouth on his knees.

"Max is a real estate agent. He's helping me look for a house."

"You're leaving?!"

"Not if Victoria and Diane can help it no."

"So what?!"

"I'm buying one of the houses in the village. For us. If... you want there to be an us?"

Aaron was in a state of shock and confusion

"Excuse me?"

Robert shuffled himself fully onto the bed and grabbed Aaron's hands.

"Come on Aaron you didn't think I'd just give up on us after all the shit we went through?! I understand where you were coming from, you were right, I was away from home too much, and even though I had good intentions I was neglecting you. And it was wrong of me to throw things in your face when I was stressed, I should of never have done it, I'd happily give everything up for you again in a heartbeat. So when you ended things, you gave me the wake-up call I needed. You are enough for me Aaron, you have always been enough for me, 100%, I was just scared to admit it. So for the last three months I've been working my arse off trying to get things together. I've built up a stable little business for myself at the moment which I plan on expanding, and I've got enough money for a deposit on a house. I didn't give up, I didn't move on, I was working to make a future for us. Cause I can't lose you Aaron. I won't. You mean everything to me and I won't let you out of my life. It's been absolute torture to be without you for all this time. I thought about you constantly, I've even gone as far to have a picture of you in my wallet, look!"

Robert pulled out his wallet and out a small passport photo of him and Aaron, when they decided to act like kids and take funny photos in a photo booth when they first got together.

"I want this Aaron. I want us. So if you want it too, tell me, because I'm not leaving without you."

Aaron wiped his face again, before lunging onto Robert, falling onto him and in turn now laying on top of him and kissed him.

"Of course I do. I want this more than anything. I love you Robert."

"I love you too!"

"Now come on, Max is downstairs with the paperwork. We both need to sign it if we wanna get this house bought."

Aaron got up with him and rushed downstairs with Robert, before halting.

"But wait, why were you touching his hand earlier?"

"The guy's got a crush on me, I got him to knock down the price of the house though, I knew I could charm my way to a cheaper price. Now I'm gonna walk out and snog you and sign the papers. He's a bit of a freak anyway, he's got a foot fetish, tried to play footsie with me under the table."

Aaron and Robert just laughed as they walked through the back room, hand in hand, ready to start their lives together again. This time, for good.


End file.
